By ROLAND KOROI
40 participants from Fiji, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, RMI, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu will graduate from the Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre’s Regional Training Program 6pm tomorrow Thursday, 19 June 2014 at the Southern Cross Hotel Conference Room in Suva.
These participants have gone through an extensive 4 week training on how to deal with issues relating to Violence against Women in their line of work as well as in their communities and in their individual homes.
They have been taken through a wide range of topics from domestic violence to sexual harassment and child abuse to Human Rights Laws as well as Counsellor Training, Advocacy and Lobbying to name a few.
The ultimate aim is to eliminate all forms of violence against women and children in the Pacific Region, which is why all participants have been strategically chosen from institutions and organizations that are at the forefront of dealing with such issues.
The Chief Guest for tomorrow’s graduation ceremony is Mr Nilesh Gounder, the Program Manager for UN Partnerships and Gender at the Australian High Commission in Suva, in light of the Australian Government’s reaffirmed commitment to supporting gender equality.
According to Mr Gounder, Australia recognises the staunch efforts of the FWCC to combat Violence Against Women not just in Fiji but in the region. He adds the Australian Government has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting gender equality, as is evident from the ongoing support rendered by Australia to the FWCC since 1989.
The Regional Training Program was initiated back in 1995 and since then has grown significantly, becoming renowned for its international standards, supported by the many success stories from communities and countries where participants have returned to make a positive impact using the knowledge they’ve gained from the program.
Graduating tomorrow are representatives from various NGO’s, Health Ministry, Government Organizations as well as police officers from different countries, some of whom are sponsored by the Australian Federal Police and the Pacific Prevention of Domestic Violence Program.
The event is open to all media.